Slimes-filtering apparatus.



D. J. KELLY. SLIMES FILTERING APPARATU S.

APPLICATION PILBDMAE. 3, 1911.

Patented J an. 30, 1912.

D. J. KELLY. SLIMES'HLTERING APPARATUS.

APPLIGATIOE FILED EAR. 3,1911.

UNITED STATES rAr nT fo FIoE.

DAVID J; KELLY, or SALT LAKE crrv, UTAH.

SLIMES-FILTERING APPARATUS.

Specification otrlemrsratene lfatented'Jan. 30, 1912.

Application filed March 8, 1811. Serial 1V0. 611,864

To all whom it mag/concern:

Be it known thatl, DAvin J. KnLLY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Salt Lake City, in the county of Salt Lake and State of Utah, have-invented certain new and useful Improvements in Slimes-F1ltering Apparatus, of whichthe following is a specificatlon.

useful improvements in a pa-ratus designed to separate solid matter 0 whatever nature, from liquids, the apparatus, being part cularly useful in the art of separating slimes fromwhich precious metals have been dis-. solved, and the liquid which holds the precious'm eta-ls in solution, the present invention being improvements of my former Batcuts Nos. 815,021, dated Mar. 1'3 06; 864,308,

dated Aug. 27 07; and 865,912, dated Sept.

While I have primarily designed the in- I vention as a means for separating slimes from. which precious metals have been dissolved and the liquid which holds these pre-. cious metals lIl solution, the present improvements will also be found'useful in the calcium saccharate.

The present improvements have in view, first, the employment of a means by which a til-tenpress or a battery or series of filterpresscs may be operated from a central station. by fluid pressure as distinguished from the lmnrl-operation of singlepresses, as disclosed in my former patents, thereby -facilitatinp the o} )eration and increasing the capacity ot' the filter presses and at thesame time decreasing, manual labor second, in furnishing an improved means for controlling the travel of the filter-carrier and em-' ploying a hydraulic brake in lieu of the band brake of my former patent; third,.the employment of a counterweight-tank in lieu of the solid counterweight 'of the former patent;

my present invention consists of the icon-- structions, arrangements and vcombinations of parts which I; will hereinafter describe and claim. r v I In the accompanying drawings forming Myginvention relates to certain new and- -part ofthi's specification, and in which simi- :lar referencecharacters indicatelike parts throu hout the several'viewgl igurel isa side e evation of a; embodying my inv lines the ositicnl. removed rpm the slime "filtering apparatus n'tign, showing .by dott- 1 removed and showing particularly the e filter carrier when. I

a Qis .a' soli1e-- Ewhat diagrammaticaviewof t; efilter carrier ,prov'ed' means for scrap ng the tankduring: I ;t he outward travel oflthe said carrier. Fig.

.3-is across section of the filter tank andan, 3'3.

:end view ofthe filter carrier. Fig. 4 is an. f;

'enlarged sectional 'view of thelockingheadfm endof the filter-carrier. Fig. 5 is an end; I view of the apparatus showing the locking-J" head const-ructlon in elevation and showing in-sectionsthe track rails upon which the a;

carriertravelsg Fig. is a sectional-viewof a modified construction for head by fiuld-pressu'remeans.

operating p, the.

In the cyanid process" for example,

gold or silver bearingslimes are mixed. or broughtinto contact with acyanid solution,

the precious metals re dissolved and car ried'in the liquidin a state of solution. To effect a separation of the metal-bearing solufj tion from the solidmatter or slimes tailings by an improved filtering japparatus which greatly facilitates the operatlon, is af leading characteristic of the ments,

Incarry'ing out my invention I employ-a,

filter which I have found particularly useful for metallurgical work, but tothis par.- ticular use the filter is notlimited sinceit P mr v r may be successfully employed inother fields and substantially wherever the separation.

of solids from fluid matter is desired. The filter includes a stationary tank, A, set, preferably, at an incline and having a general cylindrical form, although it may have any other desired suitable cross-sectional shape. This cylinder has one of its ends, preferably the higher one, permanently closed while the opposite or lower end, A, is capable, bf

being opened and closed for thepurposeof. A

introducing, andremovingthe filter frames andthe contained matter which has been 7 collected or caked thereonduring the filter- With theabove and other objects in view, I

ner, sides of, the. tank are appropriate track' rails,.10, upon which travel. the wheels, 11,

pf a carrier, 12;,which may have the' g eneral I they may be with relation to the tank; the filter trames,

an or I may use any construction which 1. may

however, are in practice so connected to the carrier that they may be removed when desired and an additional frame or frames 5 substituted.

I may employ for my present purposes any well known form of filter-frame and filtering material, including the filter-bags and frame construction of my aforesaid patents,

find useful in 'the filtration of slimes or other matter under pressure.

The carrier is shown as comprising longitudinal channel iron or other bars, or beams,

14, at the ends of which are mounted approtank.

priate rollers, 15, adapted to travel on track rails, suitably supported along the inner sides of the tank, whereby the carriagemay be run in and out of the tank when desired. To

30 the sides of the carrier are bolted or otherwise secured brackets or irons, 16, and to these are fastened the scraper blade, 17, which has a curvature substantially conforming to that. of the inner. wall. of the In some cases in operating the filterpresses the free travel of the carrier may be hindered by the premature sloughing of cakes or by an accumulation of sand, or

4 other solid material on. the bottom of the tank, and to clear the bottom of the tank of any fragments of cake or of settlings, as before pointed out, I employ the scraper, 17, and which scraper is automatic in its action,

as it is attached to the back end of the carrier and is'in fact, a part of said carrier; as the carrier travels out of the tank after the locking-head has been released, the scraper operates against the inner wall of the hot- 5 tom of the tank and pushes any solid matter before it, and discharges the same from the open end of the tank, thereby cleaning the tank and insuring the unhindered return of the carrier into the tanlh If a scraper operating as just described, should cause much friction, the counterwcights of my earlier Patents 815,021 and 864,308, are liable to prevent the free travel of the carrier. On this account I prefer to have a counter- Up weight mechanism, the weight of which can be varied at will and to accomplish this object I have designed the mechanism shown in Fig. l and which comprises a fiuidcontaining tank, 18, which when the carrier is in the tank, A, may be emptied sufficiently of its fluid contents, or load, so that the carrier has a strong and positive pull when the outer oi locking-head is unlocked from the tank; when the carrier is run out, water, or other liquid for other. material, may be delivered into the counterweight-tank until a sutlicient Weight is accumulated therein, to overcome the weight of the carrier and pull the same back into the tank A.

The counterweight tank is connected with a chain or rope, 19, which passes over a sheave, 20, to the front of the carrier; if desired a rope may be substituted by a chain and the sheave, 20, over which it passes, be of the character commonly used with a chain, which construction would prevent the slipping of the rope relatively to the sheave. When the tank is raised into the dotted po sition shown in Fig. 1 and which position occurs when the carrier is run out of the tank, the counterweight-tank is in position to receive water from a supply pipe, 22, whereby the tank may be filled until the weightthereot' overcomes that of the filtercarrier, when said carrier will be moved rearwardly into the containing-tank. The counterweight tank has a discharge pipe, 23, in itslower portion and this pipe has a controlling valve, 24, to the stem of which is connected a weighted arm or lever, 25, which is designed to contact with an automatic tripper, 26, fixed at some appropriate point in the path or descent of said lever, whereby the lever is moved to open the valve and allow the water in the tank, 18, to be discharged, thus lightening the counterweight so that it may be returned to the'dot'ted position, Fig. 1, during the outward travel of the carrier. In connection 4 with the counterweighttank I employ, in the present instance, a hydraulic brake to take care of the rate of travel, inward and outward of the carrier, this hydraulic brake being shown in Fig. 1 and comprising acylinder, 27, suitably mounted exterior to the tank, A, having an operating piston, 28, with a piston rod, 29, connecting with a crank pin, 30, on the sheave over which the chain or rope front the counterweight-tank passes. The cylinder, 27, may have a pivot-bearing, 31, to allow it to have a rocking action to compensate for any irregularity in the movement of the piston and piston rod. or other parts.

The cylinder, 27, is provided with a hypass, 32, which consists of a pipe-connecting with opposite ends of the cylinder, said bywill i pass having a valve, 33, which may be hand manipulated to increase or decrease the size of the fluid passage between the opposite ends of the cylinder and the extent of which opening determines the speed or travel of the carrier. Thus, in lieu of the handbrake of my former patents, I employ a hydraulic I brake which consists of a plunger, acyhnupon a trussed-iranie, 34, and it willbe un- 55 whiz:

der, and a by-pass at one or both sides of the brake, A. i

The sheave, 20, is at the back of the press and actuates the piston, while the hy-pass is 5 regulated by the valve in the line to permit slow or rapid flow of fluid from one end of the cylinder to the. other.- In this manner the travel of the carrier is regulated at will, and from a distant point-ii necessary, and

'anhiverator is not required to he near the press as 18 necessary when a hand-brake or other hand-operated mechanism is employed for controlling-the travel in and out ofthe 'carrier. I

In Fig. 1, I show the tank A, as mounted derstood that the mounting of this frame may follow more or less closely the mountmg of similar parts of my aforesaid Patent Qv N 0. 864,308, or any other method of'moiint' 6 ing the tank so that its inclination may be varied when desired, may be employed in coiinectibn with the present improvements. Another important feature of my present invention is the improved locking head connection between the containing tank and the end hiead which elosesthe open end thereof and which head is fixed to and is carried by the filter-carrier, 12, the prime purpose of the, connection being to obtain a liquid-tight joint between the open end of the tank and the movable head therefor When tlie latter is in position in the tank and the filtering process is under operation. In the said 35. former Patent No. 865,912, is disclosed, one

arrangement of locking-head connection be tween the tank-and carrier, but I have found in practice that in operating a battery or series of filter presses, it is highly desirable,

{ o-from a standpoint of economy, at least, toibe able to lock and unlock presses from a ceniill'ill station. V jects of the present invention, and this object attained by the use of suitable mechanism operated by fluid-pressure and one satisfactory'type of which mechanism I will now describe, haying particular reference to Fig-J4. ,The locking-head, A, is provided with a rigid shaft, 35, whicli'extends outso ,wardly from its'eenter and axially in line to the m'iphcry of the head,"suitahle springs,

40', eing also preferably employed and against which the outer edges of the lovers substantially bear wherebyithe sprin 's assist in maintaining the levers'against the lugs.

66 In the foregoing respects the levers and their This is one 'of the principal ohmeans of attachment do not depart inaterially from the substantially similar parts found in the aforesaid Patent No. 865,912. The sliding sleeve or collar, 37, is formed with other lugs or ears, 41, and to these are 70.

pivoted the rear ends of the links, 42, whose forward ends are in turn pivoted to the rear ends of similar links, i3; the front ends of the second-named l nks are pivoted to the lugs, 44, of a suitable collar, 45, against the outer face of which bears a nut, 46, which is threaded on the outer end of the shaft, 35, r and is designed to adjust the tension of the head, as when the nut is rotated it causes the lever-s )acin collar, 37 to move forward or so l g y a backward and in this manner the tension of the head, A, against the gasket, a, in a groove in the ring casting, 47, of the tank can be'regulated' at will. The tension-adjusting nut, d6, also bears against a ring, 8, 35

fwhicli scatsagainst a shoulder on the outer sleeve pr collar, 45. The aforesaid links constitute a toggle-lever connection from which is suspended. or otherwise relatively positioneda fluid-cylinder, whose upper portion on is connected to the lower links, 42, {3 of the, toggle'j oint, said cylinder, 49, having a piston, 50,".vhose rod, 51, extends through a suitable stuiling-hox, 52, and through the slot the shaft and has its outer end pivotally connected to the pivoted meeting ends oftlie upper ,p air of the links, as shown in Fig- 4. 'lhdcylinder is designed to be supplied with tluid-pressure from a pipe, 53. in

a si itable fluid-pressure line, said pipe be- 1ng provided with a four-way valve,'54, of

the usual or well known form, which connects with a hose or flexible connection, 55, leading to the opposite ends of the cylinder.

One of the lowerlinks of the toggle c0nnec-" 195 tion is provided with boss or thickened "portion, 56, which is horcd horizontally to receiveithe stem, 57, of a weight, 58, which is employed to connterlnilance the weight of the cylinder carried by the upper links ofthe toggle. From this description it will bcapparent that when the head is closed and the filter carrier is locked in the tank, the lovers and the fluid pressure actuating devices appear as in the full-line position of Fig. 4; but when it is desired to unlock the head to permit the carrier with its filter, frames to he rnnput of the tank, as shown in dotted lines in 1, the four-way valve,

54-, is turned to open communication between the fluid pressure line and that portion of the fievible connection, 55, eading to the lower end of the cylinder and beneath the piston, whereby the fiuid-pressureo-perates to separate the piston from the corresponding end'of the cylinder. In doing this the piston rod and the cylinder move in opposite direction and first act to move the adjacent ends of the links of both the upper and lower series so that the pivotal centers of a shaft projecting centrally from the head,

a sleeve slidably mounted on the shaft, radially-disposed levers having inner ends pivoted to the sleeve and having outer ends adapted to engage a fixed part of the tank, an intermediate portion of said levers fulcruming against the head, a second sleeve or collar concentric with said shaft and separated from the first-named sleeve, a double series of toggle levers between the two sleeves, a fluid-pressure cylinder carried by one series of toggle levers, said cylinder having a piston whose rod is connected to' the other series of toggle levers, and means.

cruming against the head, a second sleeve or collar concentric with said shaft and separated from the first-named sleeve, a double series of toggle levers between the two sleeves, a tension-adjusting nut on the outer end of the shaft bearing against the secondnamed sleeve, a fluid-pressure cylinder carried by one series of toggle levers, said cylinder having a piston whose rod is connected to the other series of toggle levers, and means for admitting fluid-pressure to either end of said cylinder.

6. In apparatus of the character dean open lend, of a locking head mechanism for said tank, said mechanism including a:

head adapted to close the open end of the tank, radial levers adapted to fulcrum on the head and having a portion to engage a fixed part of the tank, a sleeve slidable on the shaft and to which the inner ends of the levers are pivoted, and fluid-pressure means including a cylinder and piston, one movable relative to the other for operating the sliding sleeve and radial levers and locking and unlocking the head.

7. In apparatus of the character de scribed, the combination with a tank having an open end and a locking head therefor, of a fluid-pressure mechanism for locking and unlocking the head, said mechanism -,;-I.T'In apparatus of the character iscribed', the combination with a tank having the piston and cylinder and the two sets of toggle-levers are simultaneously moved in opposite directions, and locking levers connected to and actuated by the movement-of said toggle-levers, and means engaged by the outer ends of the locking levers for detachably locking-the head to the tank.

8. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with atank having an open end and a locking head therefor, of a fluid-pressure mechanismfor locking and unlocking the head,. said mechanism comprising a fluid-pressure cylinder and a piston operable therein having a piston rod, and a double set oftoggle-levers, said iston being connected to one set of toggleovers, and the cylinder being carriedby the other .setof toggle levers, and means for admitting fluid-pressure to the cylinder, whereby the piston and cylinder and the two sets of toggle-levers aresimultaneously moved in opposite directions, and locking levers connected to and actuated by the movement of I said toggle-levers, and means engaged by the outer ends of the locking levers for detachably locking the head to the tank, and

a weight for counterbalancing the weight of sai cylinder.

an open end, and a filter-carrier operable in and, out of the tank and having a head adapted to form a closure for the openend thereof, of a hydraulic brake for regulating" the travel of the filter-carrier and its com nected parts:

10. In apparatus of the character die-r scribed, the combinationpwith a rank having an open end, and a filter-carrier operable'in f and out of the tank'and; havingv a head scribed, the combination with a tank having 1 adapted to form a closure for the open end thereof, of a hydraulic brake for regulating, the travel of the filter-carrier and its con-.

ecc'entrlcally mounted, and a valve-controlled byass connecting with opposite ends of sai cylinder. '2

1 1. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a tank having an open'end, of a filter-carriermovable-in and out of said tank having a head adapted to form a closure for the open end thereof-u a and 'a counterweight mechanism, connecte w1th the carrier, said mechanism com meweight tank extending over said sheave having its opposite end connected to they filter -'carrier whereby the counterweight tank is lifted when the carrieris run out of its tank, means for supplying'liquid tothe' counterweight tank'to cause it'to overbaL counterweight tank is opened todischarge the contents of said tank.

12. In apparatus of the d ameter described, the combination of a. tank havingan open end, a filter-carrier movable in and out of said tank having a. head adapted to form a closure for the "open end thereof, and a counterweight mechanism connected with the carrier, said mechanism comprising a tank adapted to contain a liquid-having a valve-controlled outlet, :1 sheave and a flexible connection from the counterweight tank extending over said sheave having its opposite end connected to the filter-carrier whereby the counterweight tank is lifted when the carrier is run out of its tank, means for supplying liquid to the counterweight tank to cause it to overbalance the filter-carrier, and withdraw the same into its tank, and an automatic tripper by which the discharge valve of the counterweight tank is opened to discharge the contents of "said tank, and means for regulating the in and out travel of the filter-carrier.

13.1n apparatus of the character del scribed, the combination of a tank having an open end, a filter-carrier operable in and out of the tank having 'a head adapted to form a closure for the open end thereof, and a scraper blade secured to thefilter carrier and fashioned to substantially conform to the inner wall of the tank, and. adapted to scrape collected matter on the bottom of the tank and to advance the, same through the open end of said tank.

In testignon whereof I aflix my signature in presenceo two witnesses.v

' DAVID J. KELLY. Witnesses:

" F LT,

' GEO. F. FELT. 

